KINGSTON, Jamaica – Capt. Clifton Lumsden rallied his troops and launched his bid to become the next president of the Jamaica Basketball Association.
Addressing what he considers to be the fundamental problems stunting the growth of Basketball in Jamaica is the number one reason he has opted to run for president. Capt. Has put together a stellar team of professions and lovers of the sport to join him on his quest to see a Jamaican Team in the 2012 London Games. Marland Nettie’s retirement after 6 years as president of the 50 year old association has paved the way for new comers and not so new comers to vie for the post of president.
“Those of us in the basketball circle in Jamaica are quote familiar with the challenges of the sport but we are equally aware of the tremendous possibilities for individual, community and national development that the sport is capable of providing” said Lumsden.
Campaigning on a 7 point platform, the Destination London Team aims to:
• Create a stronger secretariat which accepts oversight responsibility for all basketball matters in the country
• Establish standard operating procedures that will ensure governance and accountability to all stakeholders including, teams, conferences, government and sponsors.
• Create a Board of Director comprised of influential individuals but who also have a distinct interest in positive growth and development of the sport
• Re-establish functional Conferences
• Create Parish Associations
• Rebuild the awareness and profile of Basketball in Jamaica
• Improve communication utilizing all the available tools to ensure that Basketball information is available in all media formats.
On the eve of the campaign launch, Captain Lumsden said “partnership with corporate Jamaica, communities and the Government of Jamaica is the only way we can achieve our 2012 goals”, he announced that his campaign intends to achieve these results by providing an environment where sponsors see a good return on the investment in the sport and the teams will secure price of place within their communities because of their involvement in the NLA and other leagues.
Lumsden now serves as Vice President of the current JaBA administration, President of the Business House Basketball Association and sits on several other organizations in various capacities. His team comprises some new names to basketball including Vernon Derby – Director Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme, Wade Howell of Digicel, Fr. Ken Richards, and Carole Beckford – Retired Banker, and some not so new ones in the likes of Winston Harvey, who served as president of the association for several years and is now honorary secretary, Kevin Alexander of the Urban Knights Basketball Team and Kenneth Walker of the St. Georges Slayers.
Lumsden expects that through this “great mix of youth, experience, professional skills and technical competence in game of Basketball” he will propel the sport from its relatively little known position now, to one of the most recognizable sports in Jamaica.
